The squid gamethe most successful foreign-language drama series in Netflix history, inspires a new reality show of the platform. The program is titled The Squid Game: The Challenge (Squid Game: The Challenge) and emulates the numerical ambition that the homonymous game has in fiction. Specifically, 456 participants were gathered in the contest. And for each one—following a logic similar to that of the South Korean show—there will be ten thousand dollars added to the final prize. Consequently, the top winner will be the recipient of a total of $4.56 million dollars.
Below, we tell you everything you need to know about this contest program:
What to expect from The Squid Game: The Challenge?
In The squid game, by the creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, several hundred South Korean residents (with debt or belonging to the lowest socioeconomic classes) participate in various recreational or physical skill dynamics, with the promise that the winner will obtain at the end 45.6 billion won. However, the participants soon discover that these challenges – which are inspired by children’s South Korean games – come at a very high cost: all those who lose will be killed. Then, the prize will not only be a million dollars, but also the right to preserve life.
“The squid game “conquered the world with its captivating story and iconic images,” Brandon Riegg, vice president of documentary and unscripted series at Netflix, told the outlet. “We are grateful for your support as we turn the fictional world into reality with this massive competition and social experiment.”
Obviously, Netflix will turn the macabre aspect of The squid game (there will be zero deaths, don’t worry) but it will retain the spirit of the challenges we saw in the original series. Although there will be some differences and additions to keep players off guard.
Anticipating a cast of 456 contestants, The Squid Game: The Challenge presumes that it will be the competition of reality show biggest in history. It was produced by Studio Lambert and The Garden, and was recorded in a former Royal Air Force hangar almost two hours from the city of London.
“Inspired by the series The squid game, real-life contestants compete in a series of children’s games for a cash prize. Their strategies will be put to the test, while competitors are eliminated around them,” reads the official synopsis.
How to participate in The squid game in real life?
To choose the lucky ones, Netflix launched a call through the site SquidGameCasting.com. The central requirements were: to be of legal age and speak English.
For the first round of selection, ““The Leader looked for English speakers from anywhere in the world.” Three casting options were listed, depending on whether you are an applicant from the United States, the United Kingdom or the rest of the world. When entering this third option, some extra eligibility requirements were listed: be at least 21 years of age at the time of applying and be available for a maximum of four weeks to participate in the reality show.
As part of the registration, a one-minute video was also requested in which the interested party introduced themselves, explained why they wanted to participate, revealed what their game plan would be and told what they would do with the prize, if they were the winner.
The controversy behind the reality show
Last February, Rolling Stone published an extensive report that included interviews with participants of The Squid Game: The Challengewho claimed that the program was inhumane and rigged.
They reported, for example, that the game “Red light, green light” took place on a set at 10 degrees below zero. This first stage was scheduled to last two hours, but the recordings lasted nine hours. When people fell to the ground from the cold and convulsed, the producers did not want to introduce doctors into the playing arena. The above, for fear of ruining the shots.
Studio Lambert and The Garden, producers of the show, denied such events in a joint statement with Netflix (via deadline):
“Although it was very cold on set – and the participants were prepared for it – any comments about serious injuries are false. “We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew, and we invest in all necessary safety measures.”
Thats not all. This group of former contestants also stated that the reality show was “rigged”. Some contestants are influencers from TikTok and Instagram, who were given special treatment. The cameras and microphones focused their attention only on these participants.
“It was the cruelest and meanest thing I’ve ever been through.”said one of the contestants. “We were a human horse race, and we were treated like horses in the cold races. AND [la carrera] it was fixed”.
Some of them stated that they were already seeking legal advice. Thus they would sue the production for workplace safety violations, negligence and false pretenses. However, nothing has been heard about it since then.
When it premieres The Squid Game: The Challenge on Netflix?
The ten episodes of The Squid Game: The Challenge They will arrive in three batches to the Netflix catalog:
- November 22, 2023: Episodes 1-5.
- November 29, 2023: Episodes 6-9.
- December 6: Episode 10.
Official poster
Trailer of The Squid Game: The Challenge
Antonio G. Spindola I have very bad memory. Out of solidarity with my memories, I choose to get lost too. Preferably, in a movie theater.